


For Lost Time

by Primarina (sherlockstummy)



Series: Righting Wrongs [2]
Category: Game Grumps
Genre: (sort of), Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gaming, Gen, Saving the World, Sick Character, Sickfic, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, You're Welcome, i'm back to fluff ladies and gentlemen and nonbinary pals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-15 00:19:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13019286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sherlockstummy/pseuds/Primarina
Summary: Dan fixes everything, and Arin gives Dan a very important present.





	For Lost Time

**Author's Note:**

> THIS FIC CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR DOKI DOKI LITERATURE CLUB! If you proceed, you can no longer complain to me about it.
> 
> There's some text from DDLC that doesn't belong to me in this fic, but everything else is original.

Dan hated the flu but, then again, who didn’t?

He and Arin had managed to finish Doki Doki Literature Club before they left for Florida to do the live shows there but, of course, Dan managed to get the flu as soon as they got back. For three days, he could do nothing but sleep and mindlessly watch Netflix and YouTube, subsisting entirely on crackers and ginger ale because he had those on hand, and it was too strenuous to get up and make soup or tea. 

Even getting up to pee hurt like a bitch, and he had to pee sitting down because he was so wobbly, which was a weird experience. How did women do it?

He considered it a victory when his fever broke, and he no longer felt like vomiting his guts out. He was slightly stronger, able to pee standing up (halleluiah), and thus he could make soup and shower, clean himself up a little. However, the illness had weakened him, and he still felt hazy, like all the lights upstairs weren’t quite turned on yet. When he responded to Arin’s daily query text with this update, Arin insisted he take the rest of the week off, anyway. “It’s almost Friday. Just rest up and get better. Did you need anything?”

Dan had responded with a simple “thank you,” and had also texted that he was well-stocked. He sent along a few blue heart emojis, and went to sleep.

He dreamed about Doki Doki Literature Club, and awoke in a feverish sweat, Sayori’s swinging body like an afterimage behind his sleepy eyes. It was 4:38AM, so he gave up on sleep and snuggled into his blanket nest, watching the Zelda Sequelitis, just like he used to when he couldn’t sleep way back in 2013. As his brain zoned back out, his eyes growing heavy, he thought back to what he’d learned about the “good” ending of Doki Doki Literature club, where not only Sayori but all the girls, were happy.

“They deserve to be happy,” Dan mumbled to himself feverishly as he dozed off again. “They all deserve to be happy.”

~

The next morning, Dan was starving. Not only was his stomach growling loudly, he had intense cravings for food…real food. Sushi would be good…or pizza. Or grilled cheese. Mm… He couldn’t really decide what he wanted. He wanted it all, honestly, but he had to think carefully, decide what his stomach could handle. 

He decided grilled cheese would probably be the easiest. He wasn’t feeling nauseous anymore, but, because of his stomach problems, stomach sicknesses tended to hit him really hard. While he was preparing a very simple version of Arin’s fantastic grilled cheeses (what he wouldn’t give for someone to cook for him! Having romantic partners was good for that, at least), he thought again to his feverish dream about Sayori’s suicide. Since it seemed like each Monika was a part of each copy of Doki Doki Literature Club, it made sense that separate copies of the characters existed in each copy of the game, too. 

At least, as far as the game lore went.

Dan scraped his (slightly burnt) grilled cheese off the pan, turned off the stove, and slid the pan aside. It wasn’t very dirty, and he didn’t want to relegate it to the sink just yet, in case he decided one sandwich wasn’t enough, or if he wanted one later. He took a bite, relishing in the heat and simple flavors of the food. It felt so good to have some substantial food in his stomach; man cannot live on soup and crackers alone.

Still, he ate slowly, making his way back to bed. He should probably change the sheets, but no one was around to see him being gross, and food was more important. He plugged in his laptop and checked his phone, seeing the daily text from Arin, inquiring about his health and pantry. Dan responded with the exciting new development about his appetite, to which Arin sent multiple thumbs-up emojis and a few party popper emojis, and added that, while he was on his last bottle of Tylenol, it should last him until tomorrow.

Dan typed in “Doki Doki Literature Club Playthrough” into his google search bar and shopped around for a good playthrough while he ate his sandwich. Even though he didn’t have anyone watching him play (though he entertained the idea of doing it via Instagram Live), he wanted to do it right, to avoid any unnecessary jumpscares. His feverish mind wouldn’t appreciate that too much. 

After watching a few playthroughs, skipping through the stuff he and Arin had done on the show already, he thought that he had a pretty good handle on how to beat the game. The only downside was…he’d have to get a Steam account of his own. And go through what he’d heard was two hours of boring gameplay.

“Fuck it,” he thought to himself, “I wasn’t going to do anything today, anyway. Might as well play a game for my own enjoyment.”

After an hour of downloading, cursing, and lots of googling, the Steam account 80srockerdik was born. Success! Dan searched for Doki Doki Literature club, and started the download.

He decided he was going to name himself “Danny.” Even if the main character was a bit of a dick, it would make the ending feel more authentic.

As Dan booted up the game, armed with a glass of water, a cup of tea, and another grilled cheese, he wondered to himself why he cared so much about these fictional characters. Their stories were sad, sure, but they were just words on a page.

Oh well. He’d think about it later, when he was feeling a little better. Right now, it was time to walk to school with Sayori.

~

It had taken Dan about eight hours, but he’d done it.

There had been an hour-long nap in-between, feverish dreams filled with he and Sayori holding hands in a field of sakura blossoms, a bowl of soup made, four cups of tea consumed, bathroom breaks and a shower in between. And he’d even changed his sheets.

It took him a while to really pin down the poem mechanic, but after looking at some guides (and lots of save-resetting), he finally got the hang of it. And he learned all the girls’ secrets, each of their backstories. (Natsuki’s made him cry.)

And now here he was, at the final screen, with Sayori, as club president, standing proudly before him.

“Hey Danny. I really want to thank you….I wanted to thank you for spending so much time with us all. You worked so hard to make every single one of us happy. You comforted us through our hard times. And you helped us all get along with each other….Only someone who really cares about the Literature Club would go that far.”

Dan couldn’t help smiling, tears in his eyes. He was stupidly emotional over this game. No way was he ever going to let anyone know he was this invested in this game.

…but, if anyone wanted to send him a Sayori plushie…he’d be okay with that. 

And maybe he was already planning to purchase one himself. But he wasn’t gonna tell.

“We all love you.”

Dan yawned, setting aside his laptop as the game’s final theme song played. He closed his eyes, listening to the cheerful piano tune.

“…in this world of infinite choices, What will it take just to find that special day?”

~

“Dan?” Arin carefully unlocked the door. It was kinda late, at least by a sickly Dan’s standards, so he knew it was kind of a risk coming over, but he didn’t want to risk Dan running out of Tylenol, and Suzy had made him some ramen and sent over bagels with cream cheese, to toast if he wanted.

“In here, Arin,” Dan called, his voice sounding hoarse, but improved.

Arin grinned and walked into the bedroom. Dan looked sleep-mussed and pale, glasses slightly askew on his face, the light from a YouTube video dancing in his eyes. Arin recognized the audio from their Mario Odyssey episodes, and he smiled fondly. “Hey, man. I know you said you didn’t need more Tylenol until tomorrow, but I had to go to the store anyway, and Suzy wanted to send some good noms.” He held up the bags.

Dan giggled, adjusting the blanket he had wrapped around his shoulders. “Thanks, Big Cat. I appreciate it.” He yawned, rubbing his eyes. “Hey, uh, if you wanna stay a while, I’m down for some company. We can watch a movie, or whatever.”

Arin assessed Dan’s condition. His friend looked worn out and still sick, stubble beginning to grow into a beard because he hadn’t shaved, hair greasy, hands shaking. But he seemed…brighter. And Arin was relieved.

“Sure, man, if you’re really up for it. I don’t wanna tire you out.” Arin went into the other room to set the bags down.

“Course! I’m starting to miss human company,” Dan replied. “Just don’t make me laugh so much, or I actually will barf.”

Arin barked out a laugh. “Ten-four, good buddy. You want any food?”

“Nah, I had two grilled cheeses earlier. I shouldn’t push my stomach yet.”

“Cool. Mind if I grab a drink?”

“Help yourself.” 

“Thanks, man.”

Arin grabbed a peach La Croix and returned to the bedroom where Dan was flipping through Netflix. “Jurassic World all right?”

“Sure.” Arin shyly handed Dan a bag. “Um…this is for you. I, uh, got it while we were in Florida, but I never really got a chance to—”

“Oh, Arin,” Dan’s voice was full of emotion, his heart about ready to vacate his chest for love of his best friend. Sitting before him was a super soft, beautifully colored, just the right size to be perfectly huggable, Eeyore plush. The tag was still hanging off his ear, proclaiming him to be directly from Disney. The older man’s eyes were filled with happy tears, glowing with childlike wonder and joy. “Arin…when did you—? How did you—?”

“I pretended to go to the bathroom at one point because I’d seen him in a shop. I asked Suzy to hide it in your backpack.” Arin shifted on his feet shyly. “D’ya like it?”

“Arin, if I wasn’t too sick, I would’ve jumped out of bed to hug you,” Dan replied, giving the soft toy a squeeze. “Of course I love him. Thank you.”

Arin sat down on the bed, grinning wide, glad he could make Dan happy. As soon as he was seated, Dan was snuggling into his chest, Eeyore tucked under his arm, sighing happily. Arin wrapped an arm around Dan, running his hand up and down Dan’s spine. “I hope it makes up for…y’know…the one you lost.”

Dan tilts his head up, beaming wide at Arin. “Y’know…I think it does.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you've enjoyed! Leave comments and kudos if you did! And bookmarks make me happy, too! ^-^


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